New Celtia
New Celtia was a colony founded by a group of Scottish, Welsh, and Irish colonists led by David Morris. History of New Celtia Voyage After the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell conquered Ireland in 1650, and Scotland a year later. A group of Scottish nationalists who resented the newly imposed English rule over Scotland, planned a secret migration to North America. Under the leadership of David Morris, 49 Scots left Scotland on a galleon Saint Andrews on September 16, 1651. During their early voyage, they were joined by 18 Welshmen, 30 Irishmen, and 5 English puritans. Landing After two months of voyage, they sighted land on November 9 off the southern coast of Newfoundland. When the ship reached the gulf of St. Lawrence River, Morris decided to sail up-river until they entered Lake Ontario where they could no longer continue their voyage due to the presence of Niagara Falls. The 102 colonists landed on a headland along the northern shore of Lake Ontario on November 21, and founded a settlement. Settlement Upon landing on a headland, the colonists quickly established a settlement and built a defensive wall around it. They named the settlement New Celtia, as a tribute to their lost homelands. David Morris became the first governor of New Celtia, with an Irish leader Douglas Reynolds and a Welsh leader Bryn Jones as his lieutenant governors. Contact The colonists soon encountered the natives, and established peaceful relations with them. Trading of goods between the two groups soon began. Growth Soon after the Celtians founded their colony, a group of Dutch colonists arrived in Lake Ontario and settled not too far away from New Celtia. Tensions quickly arose between the two sides. In the end, they reconcilied with each other, and the Dutch settlers were invited to settle in New Celtia, which was more secure and fertile. The leader of the Dutch colonists, Willem Van de Mark, became the co-governor of New Celtia. Following the fall of New Sweden in 1655, a small group of Swedish colonists who fled from their homes were invited by Morris to re-settle in New Celtia. Their leader, Haakon Johansson, was given a leadership role within the settlement. The restoration of Charles II in England in 1660 caused a large-scale migration of English puritans to the New World. Morris accepted a large group of them. Hundreds of German migrants were given lands to settle in New Celtia. Relations with New France The expansion of New France from the east caused a serious threat to New Celtia, and dozens of French settlers entered the Great Lakes region to obtain furs. Morris negotiated a peace treaty with Louis de Buade de Frontenac, the Governor General of New France in 1672. A trade routes were established between New Celtia and Montreal, and French colonists were allowed to settle in New Celtia. King William's War (1689-1697) When King William's War broke out in 1689, New Celtia fought alongside its long-time ally New France against the English and Iroquois forces. Morris led an army of 300 Scottish-, Welsh-, Irish-, Dutch-, Swedish-, English-, German-, and French-Celtians, all united under one banner, throughout the war, which ended in a decisive French-Celtian victory. Morris died in 1700. Political Structure of New Celtia New Celtia is administrated by a Governor, with support from the Colonial Council of New Celtia, a colonial legislature that consists of eight members each from Scottish-, Welsh-, Irish-, English-, Dutch-, Swedish-, German-, and French settler groups. Governor is both the chairman of the Colonial Council, and the Commander-in-Chief in times of war. Economy Demographics Religion All residents of New Celtia all belong to either of the 6 Christian denominations listd blow. :* Presbyterian Church of New Celtia :* Methodist Church of New Celtia :* Roman Catholic Church of New Celtia :* Puritan-Reformed Church of New Celtia :* Rutheran Church of New Celtia :* Baptist Church of New Celtia Category:Organizations